Circular knitting machine



Sept. 5, 1933. A. E. PAGE ET AL 1,925,932

' CIRCULAR .KNITTING MACHINE I Filed Feb- 1s, 1.951 Shee'ts-Slieet 1INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE Sept. 5, R933 A. E. PAGE El AL.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE.

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CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FiledFeb. 16, 1931 7 $heets-Sheet 3 INVENTORSALBERT E. PA

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81.9 INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE w 11933 A. E. PAGE ET ALGIRCULAR KNITTING MACHIEEE? Filed Feb. 16, 1931 m yammws a ALBEW E,FRANK R A. E. PAGE ET AL,

EIRCULAR KBIITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1931 7 $heets-Sheet 7INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE WWW Patented Sept. 5, 1933* 1UNITED STATES omcoum KNITTING moms Albert E. Page and Frank R. Page,Brooklyn,

N. Y., assignors to Scott & Williams, linearporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation oi Massachusetts Application February 16, 1931. Serial No.516,249

" 19 Elaima (oi. iii-c) This invention relates to selecting mechanismfor knitting machines and more particularly pattern selecting forcircular knitting machines by means of pattern indications such as lugsfcams or other elements of varied heighth. The pattern selections canbeemployed to cause the movements of knitting instrumentalities such asneedles, sinkers, jacks or pressures, to produce changes in stitch,color, texture or shape of the fabric. One object of the invention is toincrease the variety of selections obtainable in the modern circularknitting machine. Another object of the invention is to providecondensed pattern means which can be combined with the main 115controlling mechanism of the machine in an advantageous manner.

The novel selecting mechanism is here shown and described (as applied tothe selection of sinkers or web-holders for the purpose of producingclocking effects in seamless hosiery. These clocking effects areproduced through drawing extra long loops intermittently on selectedsinkers, by means of shoving such sinkers in sooner than usual andcausing the stitch to be knocked over on top of the neb of the sinkerinstead of on the usual knocking-over ledge. Such a method of making apattern effect is shown in the U. S. patent to George E. Ellis No.697,078 dated April 8, 1902.

The selection of the sinkers is obtained by a sinker selecting cam whichis moved radially into and out of operative relation with selectingbutts on the tails of the sinkers and is moved v verticallyto select asbetween the butts. The selecting movements of the cam are obtained froma series of pattern indications on a pattern disc rotatably mounted onthe shaft of the main pattern drum. In order to increase the number ofselections obtainable "from the disc, in the series of indications hasbeen condensed by eliminating cam surfaces and making the indicatingsurfaces contiguous. In other words, the level surfaces corresponding tothe butt levels are closely adjacent and are not separated by the usualsloping surfaces to move the indication-reading element from one levelto another. lIhe mechanism which transmits he selections are moved fromthe level of one indication to another by independent means. The patterndisc is racked from either a cam on the quadrant or a cam on a gearwhich drives the quadrant and this cam also gives the sinker selectingcam all its movements.

in the drawings: 4 Figure l is an elevation, from the left side,

of a Scott 8: Williams circular knitting machine with revolving needlecylinder, showing the sinkers, the selecting cam, pattern disc andassociated mechanism according to the invention, the view showing theparts after completing the pattern in the foot, i. e., when the knittingis about on the line 1-1 of Figure 12;

Figure 2 is an elevation from the rear of the machine showing thepattern means which select the sinkers;

Figure 3 is a view similart o Figure 1, showing the selecting campressing selected sinkers radially inward, the view showing the partswhile knitting a double line of clock stitches in the leg, 1. e., abouton the line 33 of Figure 12;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the selecting camretracted by a low cam on the main pattern drum and the pattern discpawl idling over the blank space in the disc teeth just before the mainpattern drum advanced the disc, the view being taken when the knittingis about on the line 4-4 of Fig. 12;

Figure 5 is a plan view of part of the sinker cam cap with the sinkerselecting cam pressing against the flange of the sinker cam cap, as inFigure 1; the arrow indicating the direction of movement of the sinkers;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the selecting cam belowthe outside sinker ring and pressing the selected sinkers radiallyinward as in Figure 3;

Figure '1 is a view similar to Figures 5 and 6, showing the selectingcam retracted radially out of contact with the butts on the sinkers asin Figure i;

Figine 8 is a view ,from the left side of the machine, showing thequadrant cam for operating the sinker selectingmechanism and the maindrum control associated therewith, the pattern drum being shown dotted;the parts being shown in full lines in their positions when the quadrantis at the uppermost end of its stroke, and in dotted lines at the momentwhen the rock shaft actuating finger comes into contact with and ismoved by the solid portion of the quadrant cam;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic View from the rear of the machine indicatingthe actuating connections of the needle cylinder, quadrant, patterndrum, pattern disc and sinker .,selecting cam;

Figure 10 is a detail of the quadrant cam and rock shaft actuatingfinger as seen from the right side of the machine at the momentshown indotted lines in Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10, showing the quadrant cam justbefore the ac} tuating finger drops off the cam at the end of the cyple.of operation of the rock shaft;

Figure 12 -is a view of part of a stocking 0on tainin'g' a clockingpattern made on the machine shown in Figures 1 to 8; while I Figure 13is a detail view of a modified cam means for actuating the rock shaft.

As shown in the drawings, the usual Scott & Williams revolving needlecylinder machinesuch for'instance as shown in the patent to Robert W.Scott No. 1,152,850 dated September 7, 1915-has the usual main patterndrum 120, a circle of cylinder needles N and sinkers S associatedtherewith, the latter being carried in slots in the outside sinker ringor bed 295 and further guided bythe inside sinker ring 297. There is theusual sinker cam cap 300 having a depending flange 301 forming the outerwall of the cap. The needle cylinder 260 is carried in the head of themachine, being sup-- ported in the usual bed plate B below which extendsthe fabric tube 280, as usual. The needle cylinder is driven in theusual manner as shown in the above-mentioned Robert W. Scott Patent1,152,850 and there is the usual quadrant 75 driven from the usual plategear 60 (Fig. 9) the quadrant and gear each completing a cycle ofmovement in four complete revolutions of the needle cylinder as usual.The main pattern drum 120 is racked intermittently from the movement ofthe quadrant as controlled by a pattern chain, all in the usual manneras shown in the above-mentioned Robert W. Scott Patent 1,152,850. 'Itwill therefore be obvious that the racking of the main pattern drumbears a definite timed relation to the revolution of the needlecylinder, as heretofore.

On the ordinary pattern drum or disc a large part of the periphery ofthe drum is cocupied by sloping surfaces whose sole function is to camthereader or follower from one desired level to .another. According tothis invention improved independent mechanism is provided for raisingand lowering the follower thus eliminating the camming surfaces andpermitting a large number of pattern selections on an unusually smallperiphery where many changes are required. According to the pres-- entinvention the maximum number of changes are obtained without having torearrange all the other selections on the machine and the condensedpattern is coordinated with the rest of the machine in an ingeniousmanner.

The example of the invention shownln the drawings is adapted to producea clocking effect at each side of the stocking as shown in Figure 12.This cleckng effect is composed of stitches having extra long loops suchas shown in Figure 1c of the above-mentioned Ellis Patent 697,078. Tocause these extra long loops the selected sinkers are inserted by meansof sinker selecting cam 800 before the needles are drawn down at theknitting point The sinkers have flat tops to their nebs and the loopsare drawn over the nebs s as shown in Figure 3. This variation of stitchis caused every fourth revolution of the needle cylinder in theembodiment shown in the drawings. The sinkers are actuated by the usualcam paths in the sinker cam cap 300 in order to hold the fabric down andthe upstanding butts 802' are the butts used for the ordinarymanipulation of the sinkers.

For selecting the sinkers on which drop stitch effect is desired, eachsinker has a depending tail 801 at its rear, having one or moreselecting butts 802 at its lower end facing outwardly. This tail 801.projects below the outside sinker ring 295 and the outside sinker camcap 300, and the butts 802 are below the outside sinker cam cap 300. .Inthe'drawings the tails do not project radially outward as far as theoutside of the vertical flange 301 of the-outside cam cap 300. The tailsof the sinker lie in the lower part of the radial slot 294 of the ring295 in which the sinkers move. Wherever a drop stitch effect is desiredthere is a butt 802 on a tall 801.

The sinker selecting cam 800 is shown as consisting of a horizontalplate or finger 800 whose thickness is slightly less than the verticaldepth of one of the selecting butts 802 on the tail of a sinker. Thisselecting cam is pivotally mounted on the bedplate B and swings radiallyinward into operative contact with the selecting butts 802 of thesinkers, or radially out of contact with them. The inward position ofthe selecting cam when a butt 802 comes in contact with it by means of awiping action causes the sinker to move radially inward to aweb-holdingposition (Fig. 3). In this position the stitch will be drawn over thetop of the neb s'. The selec tion between the sinkers can be obtained byhaving butts at different levels on different sinkers and varying thevertical elevation of the selecting cam. The mounting for the camcomprises a horizontal tail 806 from the mid point of which a pin 805projects downwardly. This pin 805 is fixed in the tail. The support forthe pin is a socket 823 in a bracket 803 on the bedplate B of themachine, and this is supplemented by a stationary arm 825 of a verticalpost 804 on the bracket 803, the arm 825 being above the socket. The pinmoves up and down in the arm 825 and socket 823 as the cam 800 is raisedand lowered. The cam 800 is normally springpressed radially inward by atension spring 807 stretched between the tail 806 and a pin 807' on thebed plate B.

For the purpose of withdrawing the selecting cam 800 from contact withthe operating butts of the sinkers or whatever other element may beopposite its operating face according to the vertical level on which itfinds itself, the following mechanism is provided to work against thespring 807. There is a trigger or trip plate 808 whose lower end ispivotally mounted on the bed plate 13 and whose upper end swings abovethe bed plate in a plane approximately tangential to the sinker cam cap300. The trip plate normally leans away from the needle cylinder and issupported at its upper end by a support plate 812 on the bed plate B.The swinging of the trip plate is transmitted to the cam 800 by ahorizontal pin 809 projecting toward the vertical pin 805 which formsthe pivot for the cam 800, this horizontal pin contacting with a ver:tical pin 811 projecting downwardly from the tail 806 of the cam 800.The horizontal pin 809 lies radially outward of the vertical pin 811 inout 0! contact @with the sinkers (Fig. 7). This withdrawing the cam 800from mechanism which also performs other functions in actuating thiscondensed selecting mechanism. This other mechanism includes a nearlyvertical lost motion or lifter rod 813 pivoted at its lower end to arock lever 815 mounted on a rock shaft 820, the lever 815 projectingfrom the rockshaft 820 at such an angle that when the rock shaft isturned by its actuating mechanism the lifter rod 813 will be raised. Asshown in Figure 1, before the lifter rod is raised its upper endunderlies a nose 81s on the outer side of the trigger 808. The rod isadjustable in length. An upward movement of the lost motion rod 813 iscalculated to tip the trigger 808 radially inward until its nose 814 isclear of the rod 813, thus permitting the lifter rod to move upwardfurther without causing additional movement of the selecting cam 800.

The lifter rod 813 has this additional movement because it plays animportant part in the vertical or selective movements of the cam 800 andin the changing or racking of the pattern disc which carries the seriesof pattern indications for the sinker selections. This function of thelifter rod will be explained in connection with the other mechanismaffecting the transmission of the selections of the series of patternindications to the sinker selecting cam 800.

The lifter rod is raised and lowered by a reciprocating element which isshown in Figures 1 to 8 as the rock shaft 820'a1ready referred to, thelifter rod 813, being linked to the rock lever 815 which is in turnfastened to the rock shaft 820. The rock shaft 820 is supported on anend bracket 827 carried on the end of the shaft '76, the upper end ofthis bracket being attached to the usual lower thrust bar guide or comb451. The bracket 827 carries the rock shaft 820 on a rearwardlyextending arm 828, ending at a point slightly above the lower end of themain portion of the bracket. There is a set screw 829 carried by thelower end of the bracket on the outside of the bracket underlying therock lever 815 and determining the lowermost position of the lifterrod813.

The rock shaft 820 constitutes the common element for actuating both thepattern disc carrying the series of pattern indications and also thesinker selecting cam 800, the various functions which this rock shaftperforms being separated and controlled in an ingenious manner. In Figs.1 to 8 of the. drawings the reciprocatory motion of the rock shaft isobtained from cam 'means mounted on the quadrant of the machine by ashort lever 831 fastened on the rock shaft. This short lever 831' has apin 832 adapted to ride on the cam. In the example shown in the drawingsthis cam is identified with a reference number 833. The cam 833 is inthe form of a shoe and is fastened on the rear of the quadrant 75 at apoint nearly diametrically opposite the tooth sector of the quadrant(Figure 8). The rock shaft is so located with reference. to the shaft 76on which the quadrant is mounted, and the shoe cam 833 is fastened onthe quadrant at such a point that when the shoe cam is at the lowermostpoint of its reciprocation-as shown in solid lines on Fig. 8-

the pin 832 is separated from the shoe cam by a short distance. The shoecam is ofsuch a length that when it is at the uppermost end of itsstroke the pin 832 is still riding on its U surface and, therefore,thepin does not ride ed the camexcept when the cam is in its lowermostposition. In order that the pin may ride up onto the cam at thebeginning or forward end of the latter, that forward end has formed onit a bevel 834, and the relation of the pin and the cam at the momentwhen the pin is riding up onto this beveledsurface is shown in Figures 8and 10, the dotted showing in Figure 8 being the one which shows theparts after the pin has ridden up the bevel 834. As can be seen bycomparison of the solid and dotted line showings of Figure 8, the pin832 does not he very much below the surface of the cam when it firstmeets the beveled surface 834. The surface of the shoe cam graduallyascends from the end of the bevel 834 to the tail of the cam thuscausing the lifter rod 813 to rise and fall gradually as the cam on thequadrant oscillates up and down. Since the first part of the upwardmovement of the lifter rod 813, retracts the sinker selecting cam 800,as already described, it will be obvious that the first part of thesloping surface of the cam 833 met by the pin 832 i. e; the bevel 834causes the withdrawal of the sinker selecting cam from contact with thebutts on the sinkers. In the case of the machine shown in the drawingsthe sinker selecting cam 800 is withdrawn almost immediately after thepin 832 finishes'its movement up the bevel 834. The remainder of theoperative surface of this cam 833 serves to actuate the pattern disccarrying the series of pattern indications and the means which transmitthe selections to the sinker selecting cam 800. v

The timed relation of the revolutions of the needle cylinder and thecycle of movement of the rock shaft is important. It will be apparentthat, since the cycle of movement of the quadrant isequal to a wholenumber of complete revolutions of the needle cylinder, the time at whichthe sinker selecting cam 800 is moved into and out of operative relationwith the selecting butts on the sinkers can be controlled accuratelywith relation to the revolution of the needle cylinder.- In the drawingsthe invention is shown employed in making the clocking pattern at onlytwo places, one on each side of the stocking, therefore, it is necessaryto have selecting butts on the sinkers for only a few sinkers on eachside of the stocking. The invention is equally applicable-to designs allaround the stocking, it being necessary in this latter case to have aspace equal to say only five sinkers corresponding to the back ofthestocking to permit insertion and withdrawal of the sinker selectingcam.

When using the quadrant earn 833 to operate the rock shaft 820 it willbe obvious that the position of the forward or beginning end of the shoecam determines not only the moment at which the lifter rod 813 begins torise, but also the moment at which it is dropped or released at the endof its cycle of movement. In order to make any clock pattern such asshown in Figure 12, the sinker selecting cam 808 must be inserted so asto wipe the small group of sinkers shortly before completion of thefourth revolution and before those sinkers reaches a positioncorresponding to the center of the knitting. Likewise cam 800 'must notbe retracted until after the sinkers have passed the center of theknitting. To accomplish this, the shoe cam 833, Fig. 8, is provided with.a lost motion device shown in Figures 8, 10, 11. By means of this lostmotion device it is possible to separate each retraction andinsertion ofthe sinker selecting cam 800 more or less than four revolutions of theneedle cylinder from the next retraction and insertion. It is alsopossible to make allowance for certainother considerations which will betreated later.

This lost motion device consists essentially in means for delaying themoment when the pin 832 rides up on the surface of the cam 833, and formaking the pin stay on the cam to the full length of the cam-and beyondthe bevel 834 when the cam is moving in the return or downwarddirection. These means consist of a cam extension piece 835, slidablymounted longitudinally of the cam face by means of two screws 836passing through slots in'the extension into the cam proper. There is atension spring 837 between the extension piece and the cam propersolocated as to tend to keep this extension piece extended out beyondthe bevel. The surface of the cam extension piece is at the level of thecam proper. As shown in Fig. 10, when the cam approaches the pin 832 thepin pushes back the extension piece against the tension of the camspring 837 until the pin meets the bevel 834 of the cam proper'when itrides up onto the cam thus causing a turningv movement on the rock shaft820. lifting the rod 813 and a retraction of the sinker selecting cam800. When the cam 833 is on its return movement in the direction of thearrow in Figure 11, the extension piece is in its operative position asshown in Figure 11, and the pin 832 will ride out on the extension ofthe cam thus formed andv will drop oil the. cam later than it would havedropped on" if allowed to ride down to bevel 834.

It will bet noted that while the formation of the bevel 834 shortens theperiod of time be-' tween retraction of the sinker selecting cam andinsertion of the same, about four revolutions of the needle cylinderlater, the extension piece 835 delays the reinsertion and thus this lostmotion device constitutes means for delaying the time of removal andinsertion of the sinker selecting cam as well as for varying the exactlength of timerelatively to the needle cylinder revolutions-that thesinker selecting cam is out of operative position, according to whichalteration is desired.

In considering the exact shape of cam necessary for the proper timing ofthe sinker select- .ing cam, it should be noted that since the pin 832has diameter and is'not a knife edge, the

moment in which it rides up onto the surface.

of the cam from the bevel 834 is not exactly one revolution of theneedle cylinder prior to the time that the pin would start down thebevel I, again. In addition, it should be noted that the point on thecircle of knitting instrumentalities where it is desired that theselecting cam be inserted and withdrawn may not be the point on thecircle of needles which is opposite the selecting cam at the moment whenthe quadrant cam 833 meets the pin 832. For example, let us as sume thatit is desired to insert and withdraw the sinker selecting cam when thefive sinkers on the exact rear of the stocking are opposite the sinkerselecting cam. The moment that the quadrant is at the uppermost end ofits stroke-and the quadrant cam 833 at its lowermost position-those fivesinkers in the ordinary Scott 8: Williams circular. knitting machinewith revolving needle cylinder are directly opposite butts on thesinkers.

the top center knitting cam. This top center knitting cam iscircumferentially spaced nearly 180 from the point on the circumferenceof the machine where the sinker selecting cam is located and, therefore,the quadrant cam 833 should not make contact with the pin 832 until thecam has made an upward movement corresponding to nearly 180 ofrevolution of the needle Y cylinder. release of the sinker selecting cam800 must similarly be delayed.

A modified form of cam for operating the rock shaft 820 is shown inFigure 13. In this modification the cam is mounted on either therevolving plate gear or .revolving gear 60 which drives the quadrant(see Figure 9)..

These gears revolve once for every four revolutions of the needlecylinder 260, their cycle of movement therefore being of the'same lengthas the quadrant. As shown in Fig. 13 this is designated by the referencenumber 844. The effect on the rock shaft is similar to the effect of thequadrant cam 833 but the beginning and ending of the reciprocation ofthe rock shaft are caused by opposite ends of the cam instead of thesame end as in the case of the quadrant cam 833.

We will now describe the condensed series of pattern indications. Thereis a pattern disc 810 mounted on the main pattern drum shaft 76 betweenthe main pattern drum and the end bracket 827 and there is ratchet wheel838 on the same shaft fastened to .the pattern disc. The disc and wheelare free to turn on the shaft 76 but are .restrained from unintentionalmovements by a friction brake 841 on the bracket 827 bearing against theside of the disc 810. Around the periphery of the disc 810 equallyspaced slots 840 cut across the edge and in these slots are placed theseries of pattern indications 817 consisting of jacks of differentheights corresponding to the'levels of the various selecting In thedrawings four heights of jacks or indications are shown. the highestbeing intended to hold the sinker selecting cam above the level of thehighest butt. (See Fig. 1.)

The selections of the pattern jacks or indications 817 are transmittedto the sinker selecting cam 800 by a selecting rod or pattern follower816 which reads the pattern indications. The upper end-of the selectingrod 816 is bent toward the center of the machine to form an arm 821underlying an adjusting screw 822 on the tail 806 of the selecting cam800. This adjusting screw is held in contact with the rod 816 by acompression spring 824 on the vertical arm 805 carrying the selectingcam. This compression spring lies above a collar 826 on the arm 805 andunder a stationary arm 825 on the post 804. As already mentioned, thelifter rod 813 plays an important part in the vertical movements of thesinker selecting cam 800. For this purpose the lifter rod 813 and theselecting rod 816 are fastened together by a lost motion connectioncomprising a slot 818 cut 1ongitudinally in the upper end of the lifterrod and-a screw 819 on the selecting rod passing through that slot. Thelifter rod and the select-.

On its stroke downward the ing rod are spaced apart by means of a sleeve819' on the screw 819 to permit operation of related parts. The lengthof the slot 818 is such that when the lifter rod 813 has been raised farenough to cause withdrawal of the sinker selecting cam 800 out ofoperative relation with the first tooth beyond the blank space. Withthe. butts on the sinkers, continued upward movement of the lifter rodwill cause raising of the selector rod 816. This raising of the selectorrod takes the lower end of the rod out of contact with such patternindications 817 as happen to be under the foot of the thrust rod. At thesame time it causes the vertical movement of the reader cam.

The teeth on the ratchetwheel 838 are equal in length to the space fromthe center of one 7 slot to the next, so that each racking of one toothmeans advancing the disc one indication. To rack the wheel 838 around, apawl 830 is mounted on the end bracket 827 by an intermediate link. Thepawl being located on the underside of the ratchet wheel it is normallyretracted by gravity, its exact position being de-' til termined by aset screw 849 on the lower end oi the bracket. The pawl is actuated by aset screw 850 on an arm on the rock lever underlying the pawl (Figs. 1and 2). The set screw is so adjusted that the movement of the pawl turnsthe ratchet wheel forward one tooth, which is equivalent to one patternindication.

Where in the specification and claims the expression contiguous occurs,it is intended to mean that the selecting levels or surfaces are closelyadjacent but not in actual contact and are not separated by cammingsurfaces for the element which reads the indications corresponding tothe butt levels oi the sinkers.

The construction of the machine having been described, its operationwill now be set forth, assuming that it is going to make a clockingpattern such as is shown in Figure 12 and the stocking being knit fromtop to toe. This description of the operation will begin with theknitting when at the line ie-i of Figure 12, just before the pattern isbegun. At this moment the mechanism is in the position shown in Fig ure4, where the sinkers are all operating in their normal manner by meansof their upstand ing butts 802' and the sinker selecting earn 800 isretracted. It is held in this retracted position by means of the trigger808, the liiter rod 813 being held in its uppermost position by thelever 845 on the main pattern drum which is riding wheel 828 under theinfluence of the lower endor tail of the shoe cam 833 on the quadrant,this vertical reciprocation not aflecting the selecting cam 800.

When it is time to begin the pattern, the main pattern drum is racked,thus bringing into contact the spring 843 on the main pattern drum andthe pin 842 on the ratchet wheel 888. This turns the ratchet wheel untilthe pawl can catch on the first tooth beyond the blank space 839 and theratchet wheel begins to be racked forward once every four revolutions.The pattern drum having thus started the pattern disc into action andthe finger or lever 8&5 on the main pattern drum having fallen on theend of the low cam, the shoe cam 833 on the quadrant carries forward allthe operations of selection. The rack on the main pattern drum whichcauses this finger 845 to drop off the low earn 848 is the same rackwhich brought thepin 842 and the spring 843 into contact and turned theratched wheel until the pawl could catch on I the construction shown inthe drawings the clocking begins about the third rack of theratchetawheel after the blank space and then one or two single clockeffect stitches are made before the diamond shape is begun.

As soon as the selector rod 816 is dropped down onto the first blankspace after the group of high pattern indications corresponding to thetoe and welt, the full cycle of operations of the rock shaft begins. Theriding of the pin 832 up onto the shoe or quadrant cam 833 over thebevel 834 on the cam causes the rock shaft to turn sufficiently to swingthe trigger 808 to the right and retract the sinker selecting cam fromoperative relation with the sinker butts, this occurring just after thesinkers for making the clocking design shown in Figure 12 have passedthe sinker selecting cam. As the pin 832 continues to ride up thesloping surface of the quadrant cam 833, the lifter rod 813 continues torise until the screw 819 meets the lower end of the slot in the rod whenthe sinker selecting cam is raised until it is above the selecting butts802 on the sinkers and the lower end of the reader element or selectingrod 816 is out of contact with all the'pattern indications on thepattern disc 810. Continued movement of the pin on the surface of thequadrant cam causes the rock shaft to turn still further, till the pinjust reaches the end surface 833a permitting the pawl to rack theratchet wheel forward one tooth and bring the next pattern selectionunder the selecting rod 816. As the quadrant cam makes its backwardmovement, the selector rod 816 is lowered into contact with this newindication, thus in efiect transmitting the selection to the sinkerselecting cam, and as the pin 832 rides out on the extension piece 835of the quadrant cam 833 and drops ed, the sinker selecting cam 800swings radially back into operative relation with the selecting butts ofthe sinkers at the new level. This occurs just before the sinkers formaking the clocking design reach the sinker selecting cam. This cycle ofoperation is repeated for four revolutions of the needle cylinder andthe end of the cycle finds the parts in the position shown in Figure 3.The exact position of the series of pattern indications illustrated inFig-- ure 3 corresponds to the line 3-3 on Figure 12.

At the heel the high cam 847 of the main pattern drum 120 acts on themain drum lever 845 to rock the rock shaft and both retract and raisethe sinker selecting cam and also to prevent the pawl 830 from rackingthe pattern disc 810. When the heel is finished and the.

main pattern drum is racked around, the drum is racked around again, thefinger 84:5 drops ofi the high cam 84? on the main pattern drum andcontinuation of the, pattern ensues. At the end of the pattern the partsfind themselves in the position shown in Figure l where the pattern discis being racked around. with the sinker selecting cam connected to thehighest pattern indication 817 where it contacts with the dependingflange 301 01 the sinker cam cap 300. Whenever the pin 832 rides alongthe reader cam 833, the racking of the ratchet wheel is repeated untilthe pawl reaches the blank space 839 and about this time the main drumreader 845 rides up onto the high cam 846, keeping the selectingmechanism out of action during the making of the toe and the Walt.

Various modifications of this invention will invention may be used in amachine occur to those skilled in the art which do not depart from thescope of our invention. This where it is not necessary to retract thesinker selecting cam before moving it from one level to another.

We claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, a selecting cam for said knitting instrumentalities,a series of contiguous pattern indications therefor, and pattern controlmeans having cam surfaces thereon and means to rack the pattern controlmeans,

in combination with an actuating element adapted to rack said series ofpattern indications having a cycle of movement bearing timed relation tothe racking of the pattern control means, and a control finger for saidactuating element operated from said pattern control means.

2. A circular knitting machine having, a revolving cylinder in the headof the machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities carried by saidcylinder, pattern control means-having cam surfaces thereon, a series ofpattern indications for selection of said knitting instrumentalities andan element to actuate said series of indicatons, in combination withmeans racking said pattern control means and actuating element in cyclesequal to complete revolutions of the cylinder, and a finger operatedfrom the cams on said pattern control means being adapted to cut of!part of the cycle, of operation of said actuating element.

3. In acircular knitting machine, a revolving cylinder in the head ofthe machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities revolving with saidcylinder, a cam-for selecting said instrumentalities, a series ofpattern indications for said cam and means to move said cam into and outof operative position, an element adapted to read said patternindications and fix the level of the selecting cam, and means to movethe reader eie rent out of and into contact with pattern indications andto actuate said selecting cam moving means, in combination with anelement to actuate said series of indications, pattern control meanshaving cam surfaces thereon and means moving the said pattern controlmeans and said actuating element in cycles equal to complete revolutionsof said cylinder, and a control finger for said actuating elementoperated from the cam surfaces on said pattern control means adapted topermit said actuating element to withdraw the selecting means fromoperative relation with the knitting instrumentalities, but not allowingsame to return to operative position.

4. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, a cam ior selecting same, a series of patternindications for said cam and an element to read said pattern'indicationsand fix the level of the selecting cam,

in combination/with an actuating element for said transmitting means andsaid series of indications having reciprocatory movement and the cycleof operaton of said actuating element comprising disconnecting thetransmitting means from the series of pattern indications, advancing theseries of pattern indications and connecting the transmitting means tothe new indication, and pattern control means adapted to prevent theactuating element from causing the transmitting means to be connected tothe new pattern indication.

5. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, a cam for selecting same, a series of patternindications for said cam and an element to read said pattern indicationsand fix the level of the selecting cam, in combination with an actuatingelement for said transmittin'g'means and said series of indicationshaving reciprocatory movement and the cycle of operation of saidactuating element comprising disconnecting the transmitting means fromthe series of pattern indications, advancing the series of patternindications and connecting the transmitting means to the new indication,and pattern control means adapted to prevent the actuating element fromcausing the transmitting means to be connected to the new patternindication, but permitting the taking-place of that portion of the cyclewhich advances the series of pattern indications.

6. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, a selecting cam therefor having a plurality ofoperative positions and a series of pattern indications therefor, incombination with a common actuating element for said cam and series ofpattern indications, and means actuated by said actuating elementadapted to start movement of said cam out of and into operative positionand to rack said series vby diflerent parts of the movement of saidactuating element.

7. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, a selecting cam therefor having a plurality ofoperative positions and "a series of pattern indications for saidinstrumentalities, in combination with means for transmitting theselections of said indications to said cam, means for advancing saidseries of indications and stopping the advance at the end of the series,a pattern drum whose cycle of movement is longer than that of the seriesof indications, together with other means on the pattern drum adapted tostop the advance of the series of indications at any point designated bythe pattern drum or to start the advance at that point or at thebeginning oi the series.

8. In a circular knitting machine, a revolving series of knittinginstrumentalities, and a nonrevolving selecting cam therefor having aplurality of operative positions, in combination with a reciprocatingcam for actuating said selecting cam, and means on said reciprocatingcam for giving one end of said cam one effective length when moving inone direction and another eftective length when moving in the otherdirection.

9. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, butts on said instrumentalities at difierent levels,a selecting cam therefor capable of being moved from one butt level toanother and into and out of operative relation at eachlevel, and aseries of pattern indications corresponding to the butt levels, incombination with indexing means for and an element to read said patternindications,

means to retract said selecting cam out of operative relation with saidbutts and-an actuating element having reciprocatory movement adapted tooperate the selecting cam retracting means with one part of its movementand by a subseneaacea cam therefor capable of being moved from one buttlevel to another and into and out of opera= tive relation at each level,and a series of pattern indications corresponding to the butt levels, incombination with means to retract said selecting cam out of operativerelation with said butts, and an actuating element having reciprocatorymovement adapted to operate the selecting cam retracting means with onepart of its movement and by a subsequent part or its movement moving theseries of indications.

11. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, selecting butts thereon in different positions, aselecting cam for said butts, means to move the selecting cam out of andinto operative relation with the butts, and a series of patternindications corresponding to the butt positions; in combination with anelement to read said pattern indications and fix the level of theselecting cam,'indexing means for said series of pattern indications,means adapted to move the reader element out of and into contact withpattern indications and to actuate said selecting cam moving means, andan element adapted to cause actuation of the indexing means and thereader element means.

12. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, selecting butts thereon at different levels, 'aselecting cam for said butts and means adapted to move said cam into andout of operative position; in combination with a series of patternindications corresponding to the butt levels of said knittinginstrumentalities, an element to read said pattern indications and movethe selecting cam vertically, indexing means for said patternindications, an element adapted toactuate the selecting cam moving meansand the reader element, and unitary means adapted to actuate theindexing means and the reader element.

13. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, selecting butts thereon at different levels, avertically movable selecting cam mounted to move radially into and outof operative relation with said butts,

an intermittently racked series of contiguous pattern indications forsaid knittinginstrinnentalities, a reader element for said patternindications, means adapted to move the selecting cam into and out ofoperative relation with the butts and to move it vertically and also tomove the reader element; in combination with. unitary means adapted toactuate the reader element and rack the series of pattern indications.

14. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, a selecting cam therefor having a plurality ofoperative positions and a series of pattern indications for saidselecting cam; in combination with an element to rad said patternindications and fix the operative position of the selecting cam,indexing means ing to the butt levels of said knittinginstrumentalities, an element to read said pattern indications and movethe selecting cam, vertically, indexing means for said patternindications, and a single actuating means for said cam, said series ofpattern indications and said reader element, said actuating means beingadapted to cause disengagement of said cam from said instrumentalitiesand said transmitting means from said series of indications prior toadvancing anmentalities; in combination with an element to read saidpattern indications and move the selecting cam vertically, indexingmeans for said pattern indications, an element adapted to actuate theselecting cam moving means and thereader element, and unitary meansadapted to actuate the indexing means and the reader element.

17. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, selecting butts thereon in difierent positions, aselecting cam having radial movement toward and away from said butts,means to cause such movement, and a series of contiguous patternindications for the knitting instrumentalities and corresponding to theselecting butts; in combination with an element to read said patternindications and move I said pattern indications and move the selectingcam vertically, indexing means for said pattern indications, an elementadapted to actuate the selecting cam moving means and the readerelement, and unitary means adapted to actuate the indexing means and thereader element.

19. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knittinginstrumentalities, a selecting cam for said instrumentalities having amovement into and out of operative position distinct from its selectingmovement, and a series of contiguous pattern indications for said cam;in combina tion with means to move said cam into and out of operativeposition, an element adapted to read said pattern indications and fixthe level of the selecting cam, and actuating means adapted to cause thecam means to move the selecting cam radially out of operative position,

- other of said series of indications into operative move the readerelement out of contact with the pattern indications, advance a newindication into operative position, and then allow said reader elementto read the new pattern indication.

ALBERT E. PAGE. FRANK R. PAGE.

